WIP Thursday

So I missed WIP Wednesday but it is my blog so WIP Thursday is just as good! I do have pictures of The Emerald Lady. I am past the sleeves and into the lace part of the body. I am LOVING the pattern. It looks harder then it is really, two easily memorized rows and you get great looking lace!

and here is a close up of the lace part:


I had plans to post yesterday and well you know the saying the best laid plans...... Well anyway last night I went to finish spinning something and well The two pieces that are suppose to come apart so you can change the bobbins did not want to come apart. I mean the really didn't want to come apart as in prying them with a screw driver didn't budge them.


This is not he yarn I am working on but you can see the whorl on the right, the bobbin is the piece that the yarn is on and the flyer is the rest of the thing with the hooks on it. I was freaking out to say the least cause well with out the flyer a spinning wheel is just some wood. I checked Ashford website they do not sell extra standard flyers and I was in a panic, ask my Mommy I called her = ) Well Hubby came home and between the 2 of us and Hubby's muscles we got it apart (well mostly him i sat there and had my fingers crossed). There is a metal rod that goes through the bobbin and hooks into the whorl well they were rusted together! WD-40 to the rescue I cleaned it up and oiled the heck out of it. It has been very humid here for about a week and a half and I guess just sitting there the moisture was enough to start the rust forming. So now it will be oiled more then before and left apart when I am done spinning. Rust was the farthest thing from my mind on what was wrong with my wheel, but now everything is better and I have my wheel back which I am going to go park myself in front of and finish spinning.

= )

What is a girl to do

when there is money just sitting there in the paypal account? Well if you are me you go out an buy some alpaca!! = ) I have been really enjoying spinning up Spunky's stuff and while I was looking around her site I found some alpaca that well I loved the colors =)

Sangria in 8oz of 100% Alpaca
After I received it and I was admiring it and seriously think about dropping everything and spinning it, it dawned on me that the name sounded familiar - I have 4 oz of Sangria in BFL. Like I said I loved the colors = )

I also found this, which sadly was not available in alpaca, Vineyard in BFL.

BFL is another one I like to spin so even though it is not alpaca I think I will be ok ; )

After my little splurge at Spunky's I still had a little left so off to The Loopy Ewe (you know just to see what they had new) and they just got some Malabrigo in. Mmmmm. Anyway with the paypal and my Loopy credit I basically just had to pay for shipping on this:


Oceanos. Very Pretty. I have 6 of these lovely bundles that will become my next sweater.

Speaking of sweaters The Emerald is progressing nicely. I am now working on the body and will have pictures next time.

=)

98%

That is how close the boys room is to being done. The past few days have been paint, paint (Stepson picked his color and the walls I left for him are of course the ones where you need a brush more then a roller) lay flooring and then build furniture and move everything to where it has to go then put everything away. We used this to also purge the toys and books. They have not missed anything yet. ; )

Sorry to bore y'all with this but that is what my life is right now. (not much fun either) Anyway I did get some spinning done .



This is 420 yards of mostly fingering weight Beachcomber. (from Enchanted Knoll Farms) It is single ply (the only way I have been able to do sock weight and get enough yardage) and enough to get a pair of socks from.


hence why I said mostly =) I have a few spots where there is a chunky that wouldn't cooperate with me


This is Deep Blue Sea (also from Enchanted Knoll). Very similar to Beachcomber but more blues. This is 2 ply and around 200 yards. It is measuring in at almost worsted weight, so close that I would call it worsted weight.



=)

The Oops! are done.

That is what I am calling my MIL bday socks. =) They are done done and done!


Yeah!!!

I stole the size 8 needle tips from the Luna Moth Shawl and started The Emerald Sweater (aka the February Lady Sweater) I am now a little past the second button hole. I used a new button hole and well it works great I am just glad that the button will cover my mess. It is not bad at all it is just a little loose on one side making it look a little wonky. Blocking may fix it but I am not worried at all about it.



I am using Cat Bordhi's increase method for the increases and it is coming out pretty invisible.



I am also loving the color!!!! Who would have known I was such a green person, though I think I just really love deep rich colors. Well the Emerald Sweater is a calling. I am hoping to get to the 3rd button hole tonight.

=)

A Week?

It sure has not felt like a week. It has been busy so I guess time just flew. We are doing a little destruction/construction here at the barn. That is the major summer project. We are almost done with the boys room. Hubby and his uncle moved walls and put up sheet rock. Then it was my turn. I spackled and sanded and then spackled some more and sanded some more. Uhg! The painting is almost done Just one wall left and that has to wait for Stepson's visit this weekend coming. It is his wall to pick the color then we lay the flooring down and 1 room is done!!! 4 maybe 5 more to go (we haven't decided about the bathroom). So basically it has been long days and as soon as my butt hits the couch I feel like doing nada.

To spoil Buddah a little while the other 2 were at Disney World with Grandma and Grandpa we planned a day at Build A Bear. Now we have not been inside a Build A Bear since Skywalker and Drama Girl were babies. Now usually Buddah takes her time making up and changing her mind (which I am now thinking has to do more with her sister then her) hence why we planned a few hours. Nope 10 minutes from start to finish.

Meet Blueberry



We did have a sad event happen. Of course it happened the day the 2 kiddies came home. Skywalker's pet guinea pig Whinny died. She was 3.5. She stopped eating much a few days before Skywalker left for Disney, so I figured the end was near. Two days before she stopped drinking. The morning of when I checked on her she was still inside her house and whistled, a few hours later she was gone. Skywalker is doing ok.

I now I haven't blogged about Whinny but she was a sweet little piggy. Boy could she eat! I guess that is where the pig part comes in.

Here is what little knitting has been going on. My MIL Bday socks are close to being done.

I used a vertical eyelet stitch from Sensational Knitted Socks on the cuff.

Just a little something to liven things up.

The other thing I did was this:

I dyed some worsted weight superwashed merino in a lovely green. I love the colors. It has so many greens in it. Why did I dye this? Because this is what I am going to knit next. If like everyone else I may just drop everything else and knit on this sweater. I have no problem with that since, well I would love a nice sweater to wear come fall.

=)

I do not know what to do

with the Mystery Goddess Shawl (I think that is the right name Renee has like 3 going on right now. I am doing the Pi one) I am almost a third of the way through clue 3 so that means I am close to halfway with the whole thing (unless I enlarge it) and well it is small and I am not sure if I even like it. I picked it up this morning and worked a few rows and I keep looking at it and thinking maybe not? I do not know what to do. It has already sat for a week in a time out while I decide what to do. Should I just keep going and pushing myself which doesn't really work well for me. If I do not like something I tend to not knit it (that might be part of the cause on why I have so many WIPs floating around). I just really want to knit something else right now.



this is a close up of clue 2 and really the only part I like so far.

Clue 4 is twice as big as clue 3 and then I could either enlarge it or go directly to clue 5 which is the edging.

Maybe it is the yarn? I have seen other people use similar yarn and theirs look great.

All comments and suggestions are more then welcome

Ugg

=)

I do not know what to do

with the Mystery Goddess Shawl (I think that is the right name Renee has like 3 going on right now. I am doing the Pi one)

=)

Looky what I have found:



Haven't broken into it yet but I think a snowball has a better shot in h-e-double hockey sticks then I have of not reading the whole thing by 2009

=)

My Mommy's First Pair of Socks

She done it everyone! My Mommy who taught me to knit all those years ago has taken up knitting again and her first project - socks. I showed her how, well really it was mostly over the phone and I do believe 2 visits. They are done and yes there a few little boo boos but really whose first pair was perfect. Hers actually look better then my first socks did.

yes one is ribbed all the way down while the other is plain on the foot.
I think they are perfect = )
You go Mommy!!!

= )

My Mommy's First Pair of Socks

She done it everyone! My Mommy who taugt me to knit

More Yarn

but this time I made it!

Here is 4oz of Spunky Eclectic's Rhubarb.

100% Alpaca. I am really loving Alpaca.It was very easy to spin and I had the whole 4 oz spun in one evening.

I also think I did a good job spinning this. It is lofty and soft. While I was taking these pictures I couldn't help but pet it. I only have 124 yards of yarn that is somewhere between worsted and bulky. I have heard you do not get as much milage from alpaca since it is heavier then wool but that is so ok with me. (Is it too early to ask for just gift certificates for christmas?)

The weather here is perfect! There is hardly any humidity and a light breeze every so often. (do not worry I am staying out of the sun mom) I hope the weather holds for the weekend. Skywalker turns 7 (!?!?!?!?!) tomorrow and Mommy is visiting on saturday. Then Drama Girl and Skywalker are leaving on sunday to Florida. My MIL and FIL are taking them to Disney. It will be a little quieter and I am hoping to get some dying and sewing done. Of course I will miss them so staying busy will help that a little (not)

=)

It is Wednesday and that means...

it is WIP wednesday. I always forget about WIP wednesday and I really almost did this time too. It really just happened.

I have socks!

too bad they do not match! = ) On the left is the Just One Fix 2 sock on the right is Pulsations sock by Amy King ( link here)


I know the pattern gets a little lost in the colors but I love the yarn (Cherry Tree Hill supersock DK in Northern Lights - bought from the Loopy Ewe using a gift cert from Mommy) and love the pattern.
(btw this is the sock that Snick messed with. I used dpns for about 2 rounds before I was saved by a new needle in the mail a Hiya Hiya needle. Very nice almost like the addi and better imo the the knitpicks)
The mates to these will be awhile, my MIL b-day socks have to be finished by the 26th. So far on sock one...

Yarn is Claudia hand painted short sport in Oops. What you see in the picture is about an hour while watching the Mets play. One reason that the sock is flying is I am using an Addi Turbo. I LOVE the Addi turbo! I thought my other needles were smooth and fast but they got nothing on the addi. The addi's were also very easy on my hands, which have been bothering me of late (from over use)

I also have started the Luna Moth Shawl. I have knitted chart 1 and 2.5 of 6 repeats of chart 2



I like the mix of beads, some shiny some black and some colored matte. I do believe the shawl will be a little on the heavy side from all of the beads. I also might not make it to a finished chart six, I might run out of beads first. It is going to be tight. I know how many beads I need and I know about how many there are in a container (I am using 2) but there is a margin of error of about 50 beads. That is half a chart. I really do not want to count the beads so I guess I will just have to wait and see.

I am off to knit the MIL bday socks and hopefully not be distracted = )

Do not worry Mommy I am working on something for you but well you read the blog. It wouldn't make sense to blog about it would it? = )

I am a Loopie Groupie

and I should thank Jilly for that (and my brain for forgetting to order yarn for my MIL's birthday socks) My MIL likes Claudia's Hand Painted ( and I do not blame her - see last post for my CHP) and so I let her choose which colorway. Jill is to blame for her enabling of Duet yarns. I loved her socks that she made and it was enough of a push to try it myself. Well that order made it number 6 and when you order number 6 you become a Loopie Groupie and get a cute welcoming gift. So now pictures.

This is a picture of my order

The Duets is on the left and it's name is Camibella. Then there is Claudia's Short sports in Oops! (I love the name). There is also a Addi turbo needle and a Darn It! darning egg.


Close up of Duet. It is more purple-ish then it shows


Oops! close up. I hope all of my oops come out this nice =)


Everything came in this bag! Very cute and I see myself using this often ,especially with a needle loving dog!

keychain and candy!
and.....


Columbus by J.Knits

Yep I am a happy knitter! (and spoiled)

=)

Happy 4th!!

Happy 4th Everyone!! Here it is raining and icky, but we are hoping that the weather clears for the BBQ and fireworks later.

Lets see yesterday I had to get bloodwork done (my normal monthly routine) and this time I made an appointment which according to the vampires reduces the wait. Ok now my normal wait is about an hour and a half, my reduce wait time turn out to be an hour and 25 minutes. Ummm ... yeah reduced wait my_______. Granted they did tell the truth but I do not consider 5 minutes a reduced wait. I did however finish 1 Just one Fix 2 sock. No picture though since well battery needs charging. I thought it would be great to not have to buy batteries but I have found that I forget to charge the batteries now. = P

I do have pictures of some of my summer stock up. You know if for some strange reason I run out of yarn. (not likely to happen for a few years if I ever stop buying more yarn)

Today's stash enhancement is brought to me by the Loopy Ewe.


What a cute little bag! Perfect for traveling knitting! My favorite part - the keychain attached.



Inside there is some.....

Malabrigio in chestnut.

and 2 skeins of Claudia Handpainted Sport shorts (what a mouthful)


in Purple Earth.

The colors are amazing. It was on my wishlist for a while and when it came back in I grabbed it.


A Hiya Hiya needle to replace the one Snick got to. New to me we shall see how it works out.

Well everyone I hope you have/had a great and safe 4th!!!

=)

WooHoo! It is dry..

The Old Shale Shawl. I got the pattern from Spin Off and well I know I did not use handspun but I used Noro Silk Garden and it looks like handspun. I used 4 skeins and I do not know how many repeats. I basically kept going until the color length was not long enough to go all the way across then I casted off.

of course blocking and taking pictures of shawl blocking is more important then hanging laundry, isn't it? = )

Love the colors

Picot edging

Nice and dry (4 days later) Same color through out and the same dye lot too but the colors changed toward the end.

and of course the picture using the bathroom mirror to try and get a descent picture and failing horribly =)


Shark boy singular that were left over. I am going to use these to do a contrast heel toe thingie for a pair of socks for Skywalker

=)